Another week gone by, another top-notch win for the women’s soccer team. The Lions only had one game this week, but they made it count by putting down previously undefeated Johns Hopkins University in an overtime match of epic proportions, resulting in a 2-1 victory.
This dropped the Blue Jays to 10-1 on the season, while the Lions upped their record to 11-1.
The first half of the game was pretty quiet for the most part. Both teams’ defenses provided stellar defense and kept the ball back and forth down the field for quite some time. Senior defender Lauren Giles had a fantastic diversion shot, taking away a possible goal for the Blue Jays and keeping the score tied at zero.
Unfortunately for the Lions, the Blue Jays capitalized on their perfect defense first and scored the first goal of the game with 1:08 left in the first half.
However, once the Lions came back out in the second half, they knew what they had to do. Great defense can only get you so far when you are not scoring goals. The Lions got the ball down the field in a hurry and tied the score 1-1. Junior forward Leigh Applestein made the initial attempt at the goal, but it was saved. Junior forward Korrie Harkins was there for the rebound, though, and netted her first goal of the season.
The score stayed consistent at 1-1 throughout the remainder of the second half as both defenses were once again on a roll.
In the first overtime, senior forward Katie Lindacher came extremely close to ending the game with a great shot that ultimately hit the bar of the net and was deflected. The Lions were not dismayed, though. They played hard throughout the rest of the first overtime and pushed the game to its limits with a second overtime.
They did not need that second overtime for long, though, as the Lions scored the winning goal only 13 seconds in. Freshman forward Christine Levering scored the goal with ease, netting the most important goal of her freshman year thus far. There are huge things in store for this young player, as she has already exhibited why she belongs on this team on multiple occasions.
Out of the eight goals Levering has had this season, four of them have been the game-winning goals, something that is basically unheard of as a freshman.
When asked what keeps these players so motivated to come out every single week and dominate the way they do, the answer has overwhelmingly been their sense of family and teamwork. These players say they are a genuine family and they know that every second during a game is crucial.
“We practice very hard as a team,” junior forward Gina Caprara said. “And we are all very friendly and cooperative with each other and I believe that is what is making us win so many games.”
Freshman defense Aubrey Andrews has also expressed this same cooperation.
“Each and every game we play, from the girl next to us, or on the bench or field, starter or someone who plays two minutes, we want to leave each game knowing we haven’t left anything but our best out there, for each other and for all the Lions who played before us.”
With determination like that, it is not hard to see why these Lions have been dominating all season and will continue to do so.
This week, the Lions take on William Paterson University on Wednesday, Oct. 16.
